Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Online Poker Betting Strategy

By Gary Graymer

When it comes to no limit Texas Hold'em there are many betting strategies. When it comes to No limit verses limit play, there are many more differences in strategy. And when it comes to ring games verses multi table tournaments, the strategies should almost be the opposite.

For instance, when you have a flush draw post flop, you may almost certainly want to see the turn and river for as inexpensively as possible in a ring (single table) game. But, when you are in a multi table tournament, you will most certainly want to bet out large or even re-raise with a drawing hand.

I have had the luxury of interviewing a few of the most successful online players and would like to share what they have to say. One player whose screen name handle I will not share, is up over $700k in the last 18 months.

His advice is quite simple bet yet most people still won't have the discipline to do it. It goes something like this. This only applies to multi table tournaments. Whenever you decide to play in a hand and you are the first to act (regardless of position) you simply want to raise the blind three times.

If you have 89 of diamonds, you raise three times the blind if you decide to play the hand and are first to bet. If you have KK and are first to bet, (meaning no one else) has entered the pot yet, excluding the blinds, you only bet three times the blind.

Now, obviously if someone puts you all in you will be holding those occasional mediocre hands you might play. The ides is this. For starters, no one can put you on a specific hand. You are betting the same amount (relative to the blinds) regardless of your hand.

If you have AA and you bet three times the blind, and get raised, you can gladly call or re- raise putting the guy all in. What will happen over time is that your table perception will change. You will always bet the same amount (relative to the blinds) and some people will catch on to that.

They will try to push you off of hands and when they run up against your monster, you have them right where you want them. Also, you must almost always follow up with a continuation bet. Be prepared to walk away from hands that don't hit the flop well for you. Occasionally you can bluff your way out of the hand as well.

This may sound simple, or to some, even ludicrous, but this strategy works. Stay tuned for more articles on this subject. Keep practicing and you can become a profitable player.

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